certainly hope so. looking at those challenges before c us that redline or legal liability fails to take into account the justice in america which we have turned to in good times and bad to make sure those that have no recourse to consider lawsuits that take this issue seriously and carefully and with that opportunity to protect people risking lives every day in essential workplaces that they too can be protected by our system of j justice. let them president i yieldin the floor spirit after a few weeks to help flatten the curve back in washington to continue our coronavirus response and and

those that her contract the coronavirus thousands have died in our economy is taking a hugehi it. plans of americans are out of work and americans are worried about their own health they're worried about the health of their families and loved ones. and those that are suffering so over the past two months to be responding to the coronavirus we passed several major response bills and more than $2 trillion of assistance. we funded testing, medical car care, personal protective equipment, frontline medical

personnel, paid sick leave, leave, direct relief payments to american citizens forgivable loans for small businesses and much more. our goal is to provide a comprehensive response not just the medical priorities but the virus had an so many families. there is more work to be done. that is monitoring the implementation we provided a tremendous amount of money getting it where it needs to go as quickly as possible to be spent in the most effective way. monitoring the implementation we have already passed is crucial for informing any future and as we said a tremendous amount equal to almost 50 percent of the

entire federal budget for 2020. it's important any future fundingrg to make sure only dollars go to real priorities and with the money they're adding to the national debt and the debt to gdp scheduled 79 percent this year and 101 percent that jump of 79 percent the gdp is the largest jump, i am told since 1943 of world war ii. it is essential we spend widely with that implementation of the

coronavirus legislation to inform future bills a number of coronavirus and something is a role to the united states senate when it comes to the judicial nominations to have to ensuresibility to conduct the research to hold confirmation hearings and to put people in with the administration. so the question is why we are here is fairly easy there are important positions and then with the health care crisis we are facing in this country but to the ongoing national security priorities as well as the economic challenges we are facing. in fact this week the senate banking committee working on

the nomination of brian miller to be the inspector general for pandemicc recovery at the treasury department the key role created by the helegislation in congress to the implementation is done in the rightas way. and with that key oversight role and then to be an essential part it with those detrillions for that spent properly. and those that a hearing on the initiative it with the coronavirus legislation and with that private sector public sector collaboration

and that's going on with the healthea education committee. and that of which i am a member with the impact of covid-19 on the airline industry. something we know to be profoundly impacted by what's happening with the virus. next week the committee will be hearing directly about the fight against the coronavirus. and the key role in any future coronavirus and then those to meet once again here in washington dc. and the pandemic will be the priority in washington in the coming weeks and months but we americano for the people the nominations are essential those are the some of the items on the agenda.

the senate intelligence community are with the director of national intelligence and the secretary of the navy. and then to help american inrkers and businesses deal with the impact to discuss ideas the next couple of weeks for farmers and ranchers and to shield responsible businesses from litigation once the economy has opened up again. as i said we will continue to focus to make sure the money we provided gets where it is needed as fast as possible. united states undoubtedly has more tough days ahead that we are going to get through them and come out tougher on the other side.

in the meantime in the united states senate across the country are struggling in many priorities the need to be addressed so i am pleased with that national defense authorization bill. and then the men and women that defend this country and the american people around the world have the training and equipment and resources to do their jobs to keep americans safe. and then to be worked up by the public works committee and a piece of legislation with the economy in this country.

if you look at the long list of things and priorities we need to deal with in the united states senate it is important with people's business.th and over the past several weeks like my colleagues and work hard to stay in touch with the people of south dakota using technology and never really had much experience to zoom to skype to google hang out all kinds of interesting and conducting meetings to stay connected with constituents for what is important to them to find out and get the feedback of what we could be doing to respond to the crisis that is out there. but there is no substitute and then to deal with the

important nomination and with that responsibility with consent whether judicial nomination and with that position as it pertains to national security there are lots ofri priority items and then with that responsibility so i hope in the days and ahead to work together ut a way to provide national safety for those who work here but also the important priority to the items and the issues that are critical to americans. at this point and hopeful to get on the other side of it is critical national priorities

and with the people deal with on a basis. thank you for the time and i look forward to working with my colleagues under other circumstances. and with the representatives here to do the important work the american people expect us to do. i yield the floor. >> i join my friend the senator from south dakota to say i'm glad to be back in this chamber doing the work and then the fellow senator from texas joining us as well and listening closely the senator from south dakota recitationth all the things they

had to do and there is no shortage and there is no reason and then to crawl up in the fetal position then someone is supposed to be afraid to be outdoors. and then doctor burks we see them on tv and a nightly basis they tell us what we need to do to function safely with the grocery clerks and doctors and nurses and frankly law enforcement personnel. we know how to do this and do it safely but at the same time we cannot hide out and not show up for work. kind of message does that send to the american people there is the extraordinary crisis come unprecedented crisis and have done things we would never consider doing under

normal times with $3 trillion at warp speed. frankly i think it's a great time for us to tap the brakes and consider what it is we have already done to make corrections anything that makes mistakes there have been corrections both of the way they are administering the program and also we've heard about gaps and then with those they say why did you leave the chambers out for the support of the paycheck protection program? that is something that we need to go back and fix that we can't do it with treasury guidance and i have no doubt

to continue to legislate we had to do it smartly and be here in person to have the interaction and the deliberation and debates coming up with a good product. we've done pretty extraordinary work in the last six weeks. both chambers have come together to pass four different pieces of legislation to strengthen our response to the coronavirus vital funding to hospitals and ironically at a time they were the front line of defense many people were laying off employees because asking them to forgo elective surgery to pay the bill and then we learn with ppe every mayor and governor and president and

leader of every country around the world in a global rush with the ppe and one of the things that i told my constituentsst that i think we have learned is you cannot depend on china in these uncertain supply chains with the ppe and pharmaceuticals these are some of the lessons in the feedback we have gotten l interacting withur constituents. and has gotten much more widespread and we made tremendous advances with all the clinical trials and now the hope of the vaccine sooner rather than later. then hopefully this will be relegated to the same status as the seasonal flu which we do have a vaccine but for

those vulnerablein individuals with underlying chronic disease could be protected first also funding from state and local government $150 billion talking to mayors and county judges and obviously the sales tax revenue has fallen like a cliff because there is a much business going on on the retail stores to be sure. with deliveries and those sorts of borders. for law enforcement and other essential services we thought it is important to throw themel aa lifeline to help them meet their budgets and maintain those vital services.

>> the most popular thing they did was to help them stay afloat through the ppe obviously this word is successful and popular in the $350 billion spent for two weeks and then with 320 billion that is flying out of the banks and credit unions helping small businesses keep employees on the payroll. and then this low interest loan will turn into a grant and then be in the position to bring employees back but the help of the buildout of the obsession we are currently

involved. also critical funding for farmers and ranchers and other producers so they can keep our country fed. taking the unprecedented steps to minimize the impact of this virus and then to have a modicum of uncertainty there's not a single event of my lifetime that they have reached certainly 9/11 was a different type of crisis with the meltdown of the banks on wall street and the great recession those were significant events to be sure that nothing rifled with the coronavirus has done to public health and the economy. and those consequences of the virus is reach every community every sector of the economy

every single american has experienced a shift in their daily retain as a result of the virus and many have had their lives turned on their head. for some changes were significant think of those who contracted the virus the healthcare workers who w were there and helping them those who are sick and millions of americans who lost their jobs small business owners wondering if they will cease to exist and if they can survive the current crisis and reduced demand and then you can safely work from home but then they end up pulling double duty schools have been

closed to keep the cogs of society running. by the way i don't like that designation. with that safe and unsafe. because all workers are e essential. and then must be working to slow the spread to reduce the economic impact with the profound human impact many people have been isolated under those circumstances still have a job to go back to. with that uncertainty of the pandemic in a crowded house or apartment with children to be

elderly parents and others cut off from the rest of society it's no secret this is taking a toll on america's mental health last week emergency room doctor released devastating news doctor lorna breen in the trenches battling this virus for weeks working long hours as many are to tell the family the devastation she was seeing every day and contracted covid-19 and took a week and a half off to recover and then went back to work eager to help her she could. shortly after her family intervened and brought her home to virginia to rest to spend a little time withim her family. sadly, tragically what she was

facing felt untenable after overcoming covid-19 c-1 she took her own life by suicide. a hero devoting her entire life to care for others and put others before herself with the tragic death cannot be reversed it should be a warning signal about the virusr impact of the with the kaiser family foundation nearly half of americans that the coronavirus is having a negative impact that's up to one third in march and the number of the distressed outline skyrocketed in april 1000 percent increase and to discuss what future legislation will looke, like in the mental health impact we rely on the community mental health centers and then to

support those substance abuse disorders. and those resources have increased. of the health organizations nationwide to reduce operations with the need of demand and those behavior organizations cannot survive financially for three months under the current conditions. so congress tried to do with $175 billion to provide healthcare providers on the front lines of this crisis and that cannot be forgotten.

and with the colleagues with secretary a's are and administrator to quickly allocate with these mental health organizations are included. not only do they provide vital care and support for individuals and they are also fighting substance abuse. those are often living in a fragile state to stay the course for that current circumstances make those daily battles much more difficult they are isolated from friends and loved ones it with that anxiety caused by the virus impossibly improbably facing financial struggles. with the treatment and those

counselors and the barriers to overcoming addiction were even larger. and that treatment cannot be delayed. our country has made serious inroads with the battle against the opioid epidemic 2018 overdose deaths were down 4 percent the previous year the first decrease in three decades we can't let the coronavirus derail the progress we fought so hard too make. the cares act i'm glad to say doesn't want - - does expand access to telehealth in many are experiencing those benefits and i predicted some point this will change a lot of ways we receive consultation by providers not to drive our car or make

appointments to spend time out of the day conveniently and effectively. and more must be done in those with the criminal justice system is especially senator blumenthal and i introduce the crisis stabilization and to support those who are part of the criminal justice system to provide stable treatment to those with mental illness. most the receiving treatment for mental health are released without k a plan this often leads to higher recidivism rates and that law enforcement is the first responders to

suffer a mental health crisis that can escalateca those confrontations with the officer in the individual in thes crisis it creates grants to connect law enforcement l community resources to engage in the criminal justice system to make it possible for them to access the resources they need to have a successful reentry into civilized society. these grants connect to make sure people suffer from the acute episode connexus treatment from being reincarcerated. and the stress and the anxiety that come with it to make a tremendous toll on the american people is not just

the virus and the threat of catching the virus taking the toll we need to look at this holistically and to be confined with your abuser with nowhere else to go. only have your abuser abusing alcohol and becoming more violent. and with this virus and the virus itself and then just to look at this holistically and as our discussions continue with this unprecedented time resources for mental health and substance abuse treatment cannot fall by the wayside. >> over the past few months both parties have worked together to provide was levels of funding to